Type of Presentation

Poster Session (45 minutes)

Target Audience

Other

Abstract

This bilingual (Spanish/English) poster highlights six creative health literacy outreach projects that have proven to be successful in increasing participation in health-related events in their communities and in boosting health literacy in the process.

For example, in Georgetown, South Carolina, a beauty salon owner, concerned about her clients’ frequent frustration with trying to decipher medical information, partners with her local public library and is grant funded to provide a Wellness Workstation in her salon. Years later, her clients research health information between services using the workstation, evening health literacy classes are regularly conducted for community members and continued funding has provided iPads and mobile printers for outreach to the homebound.

On Maryland’s Eastern Shore, five high schools and three public library branches partner for a successful peer-to-peer training project focused on decreasing teen obesity by improving health literacy.

In Baltimore, Maryland, public schools and libraries partner with a grocery store and local government (among others) to create a virtual supermarket enabling people living in food deserts to access healthy foods.

Working to make your facility and programs inviting and culturally appropriate for diverse, underserved populations is certainly important, but because of transportation issues and other deterrents to attendance, it's also imperative to go out into those communities to offer your services. Forming partnerships with owners and staff of popular community gathering places makes a tremendous impact on the health awareness and self-advocacy of community members.

Be creative - think outside the box and "inside the blocks".

Presentation Description

Decrease health disparities by increasing health literacy. Creative partnerships provide simple solutions to approaching complex community health concerns. Think outside of the box and inside the blocks: go out into your community rather than wishing they would come to you.

Publication Type and Release Option

Presentation (Open Access)

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Sep 25th, 12:30 PM Sep 25th, 1:45 PM

Think Inside the Blocks: Health Literacy Outreach to Disadvantaged People in Their Own Environment

This bilingual (Spanish/English) poster highlights six creative health literacy outreach projects that have proven to be successful in increasing participation in health-related events in their communities and in boosting health literacy in the process.

For example, in Georgetown, South Carolina, a beauty salon owner, concerned about her clients’ frequent frustration with trying to decipher medical information, partners with her local public library and is grant funded to provide a Wellness Workstation in her salon. Years later, her clients research health information between services using the workstation, evening health literacy classes are regularly conducted for community members and continued funding has provided iPads and mobile printers for outreach to the homebound.

On Maryland’s Eastern Shore, five high schools and three public library branches partner for a successful peer-to-peer training project focused on decreasing teen obesity by improving health literacy.

In Baltimore, Maryland, public schools and libraries partner with a grocery store and local government (among others) to create a virtual supermarket enabling people living in food deserts to access healthy foods.

Working to make your facility and programs inviting and culturally appropriate for diverse, underserved populations is certainly important, but because of transportation issues and other deterrents to attendance, it's also imperative to go out into those communities to offer your services. Forming partnerships with owners and staff of popular community gathering places makes a tremendous impact on the health awareness and self-advocacy of community members.

Be creative - think outside the box and "inside the blocks".